DETROIT — Jim Leyland shuffled the Tigers’ lineup in Game 4 and evened the ALCS at 2-2.

So, with third baseman Will Middlebrooks slumping, there is a chance Red Sox manager John Farrell will do the same for Thursday’s Game 5.

“I haven’t made a decision on [Thursday’s] lineup,’’ Farrell said after Boston’s 7-3 loss. “But given the way the left side of the infield … we are struggling a little bit to get production out of that side. So it’s something that’s being considered for sure.’’

Middlebrooks is 1-for-10 (.100) in four ALCS games, hitless in two at-bats with runners in scoring position and has whiffed five times. For the postseason, he is 4-for-23 (.174).

Farrell has neophyte Xander Bogaerts available to play third, and he doubled in the ninth Thursday night after replacing Middlebrooks.

Fielder, who went 0-for-4, hasn’t driven in a run in 16 straight postseason games. His last postseason RBI was Game 1 of last year’s ALCS against the Yankees.

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Games that end 1-0 normally don’t require three hours and 56 minutes and three hours and 20 minutes to complete.

Yet, those were the times of Games 1 and 3 of the ALCS between the Red Sox and Tigers. Each tilt resulted in a 1-0 decision.

According to Leyland, the games look like the marathons the Yankees and Red Sox have been involved in.

“I don’t want anybody to take this wrong [but] we are basically playing a Red Sox-Yankees in season game,’’ Leyland said before the game. “They seem to go a long time. If you watch them on Sunday night they go on forever for whatever reason.’’

The Red Sox patient approach at the plate stretches games.

“We are playing Boston so now we are a culprit, too. I don’t really know. You have the TV, obviously it’s longer in between innings. They seem to run a little bit longer,’’ Leyland said. “I heard this a long time ago and I kind of stole it from somebody. These games are like a movie. If it’s a good movie you don’t mind staying a little longer. If it’s a bad movie you don’t mind leaving early.’’

Farrell pointed to the bevy of strikeouts from both sides.

“The number of strikeouts, you’re going to look at longer at-bats,’’ Farrell said. “There is not early contact, there are not early outs. And we are working with three minutes in between each half inning. Our guys don’t pay attention to the clock. We play until the 27th [out] is recorded and we go home.’’

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Right-hander Anibal Sanchez helped the Tigers win Game 1 Saturday night by not allowing a hit in the first six innings. Now, Thursday night’s Game 5 starter is attempting to put that sterling performance out of his mind.

“That day is in the past. Right now we have to focus for [Thursday],’’ said Sanchez, who will be opposed by Jon Lester in a rematch of Game 1.

Though Sanchez didn’t allow a hit and fanned a dozen he issued six walks.

“I need to work more on throwing strikes. Last time I threw too many away and I don’t want to do that in my next outing,’’ Sanchez said.

Lester said seeing a team within five days doesn’t offer an advantage to the pitcher or the hitter.

“I don’t know about an advantage one way or the other,’’ said Lester, who allowed one run in 6¹/₃ innings but took the 1-0 loss.